Chief constable calls on councils to provide more authorised traveller sites

Surrey’s chief constable Nick Ephgrave has taken the rare step of issuing an open letter in response to public anger over the police responses to unauthorised encampments.

He said in the letter there had been “an unprecedented number” of these over the summer with no part of the county unaffected and admitted, “the amount of ill feeling and anger about a perceived lack of action by police has been palpable”.

But he said councils in Surrey had failed to provide transit sites for travellers - unlike in neighbouring counties - and this had exacerbated the problem. Planning for these is a responsibility of Surrey’s 11 districts.

The chief constable wrote: “The disappointing thing is that all of this was predicted and there is a practical solution available that would help.

“It has been successfully implemented in a number of surrounding counties, but has yet to be implemented in Surrey, leaving the local authorities and police with limited powers to deal with those intent on trespass.”

Chief constable Ephgrave said where a designated transit site is available, police can direct those on unlawful encampments to move there immediately and to arrest them if they refuse, or if they return within three months.

“Currently, Surrey has no transit sites and so none of these powers are available,” he said, noting “an increasing number of surrounding counties have created designated transit sites and their experience has been that this significantly addresses the issue of unauthorised encampments”.

He said police powers were otherwise limited since unauthorised encampment was not itself a criminal matter and if a council did evict one,“there is nothing to stop those evicted from simply moving 100 yards down the road and setting up camp there” It was also difficult to identify individuals where criminality was alleged.

He concluded: “I recognise the frustration and anger of local residents and businesses affected by unauthorised encampments.

“The provision of even one transit site will make an enormous difference to our ability to respond to unauthorised encampments, but it is not in my gift to make it happen – that is a difficult political decision that sits with our local leaders who I know have the issue under active consideration.”